*Pages 1--3 from Microsoft Word - 55523.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th Street, S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 TTY 202 / 418- 2555 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov ftp. fcc. gov DA 06- 534 March 6, 2006 PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED FOR COMMENTS ON TIME WARNER CABLE’S PETITION FOR DECLARATORY RULING THAT COMPETITIVE LOCAL EXCHANGE CARRIERS MAY OBTAIN INTERCONNECTION TO PROVIDE WHOLESALE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES TO VOIP PROVIDERS WC Docket No. 06- 55 Comments Due: March 27, 2006 Reply Comments Due: April 11, 2006 On March 1, 2006, Time Warner Cable (TWC) filed a petition for declaratory ruling requesting that the Commission affirm that competitive local exchange carriers (LECs) are entitled to interconnect with incumbent LECs pursuant to Section 251 of the Communications Act of 1934 (the Act), as amended, for the purpose of exchanging traffic on behalf of VoIP- based providers. 1 TWC asserts that the public service commissions of South Carolina and Nebraska misinterpreted the statute when issuing decisions finding, among other things, that competitive LECs providing wholesale telecommunications services to other service providers are not “telecommunications carriers” for the purposes of Section 251 of the Act, and, therefore, are not entitled to interconnect with incumbent LECs. 2 Specifically, TWC argues that competitive LECs selling telecommunications services on a wholesale basis are telecommunications carriers and are entitled to interconnection under Section 251. This Public Notice establishes certain procedural requirements relating to consideration of TWC’s petition. This matter shall be treated as a “permit- but- disclose” proceeding in accordance with the 1 See 47 U. S. C. § 251. 2 Petition of MCImetro Access Transmission Services LLC for Arbitration of Certain Terms and Conditions of Proposed Agreement with Farmers Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Home Telephone Co., Inc., PBT Telecom, Inc., and Hargray Telephone Company, Concerning Interconnection and Resale under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Order Ruling on Arbitration, Docket No. 2005- 67- C (South Carolina PSC Oct. 7, 2005); Sprint Communications Company L. P., Overland Park, Kansas, Petition for Arbitration under the Telecommunications Act, of Certain Issues Associated with the Proposed Interconnection Agreement between Sprint and Southeast Nebraska Telephone Company, Falls City, Findings and Conclusions, Application No. C- 3429 (Nebraska PSC Sept. 13, 2005). See also Petition of MCImetro Access Transmission Services, LLC for Arbitration of Certain Terms and Conditions of Proposed Agreement with Horry Telephone Cooperative, Inc. Concerning Interconnection and Resale under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Order Ruling on Arbitration, Docket No. 2005- 188- C (South Carolina PSC Jan. 11, 2006). 1 3 All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, S. W., Washington, D. C. 20554. Parties should also send a copy of their filings to Janice Myles, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Room 5- C140, 445 12th Street, S. W., Washington, D. C. 20554, or by e- mail to janice. myles@ fcc. gov. Parties must also serve one copy with the Commission’s copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. (BCPI), Portals II, 445 12th Street, S. W., Room CY- B402, Washington, D. C. 20554, (202) 488- 5300, or via e- mail to fcc@ bcpiweb. com. Documents in WC Docket No. 06- 55 are available for public inspection and copying during business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, S. W., Room CY- A257, Washington, D. C. 20554. The documents may also be purchased from BCPI, telephone (202) 488- 5300, facsimile (202) 488- 5563, TTY (202) 488- 5562, e- mail fcc@ bcpiweb. com. People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e- mail to fcc504@ fcc. gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418- 0530 (voice), (202) 418- 0432 (TTY). For further information regarding this proceeding, contact Jennifer Schneider, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, (202) 418- 0425. - FCC - 3